CenterLines is the bi-weekly e-newsletter of the National Center for Bicycling &
Walking, a program of Project for Public Spaces. CenterLines is our way of quickly delivering news and information
you can use to create more walkable and bicycle-friendly communities.

-> We are just over 80 days away from opening in Long Beach, and we are shifting to the big ring--to use the cycling parlance--with our preparations for Pro Walk/Pro Bike® 2012. The next 30 days will see a flurry of program announcements, which we will kick off by announcing the Early Summer registration rates are extended by two weeks. Moving our deadline to July 12 will give public employees, many of whom are coming to the end of the fiscal year, some breathing room; members of our cooperating organizations will have a chance to take advantage of our discounts; and more program details will be revealed, so you can answer the question of whether Pro Walk/Pro Bike® 2012: Pro Place is for you. (Hint: it is!)

Today we are releasing a draft program of confirmed panel and poster sessions for the conference. Please note this program is subject to change as we add, combine, and streamline sessions. Program sessions are available for download on our new website (see below) and are sorted by the six conference themes. In the coming weeks we will add more details about our Placemaking track, including a session with Victor Dover and John Massengale, authors of the forthcoming book "The Art and Practice of Making Complete Streets" which will explore the oft-overlooked aesthetic dimension of creating complete streets. Their session, which will take the position that only beautiful streets, where people want to be, can be considered complete streets, promises to be a good one.

Our draft program and our extended Early Summer rate will be accessible through our new conference website: www.prowalkprobike.org. We will be adding enhanced content and updated program information over the coming weeks.

-> "Pro Walk/Pro Bike® Innovators. Leading up to Pro Walk/Pro Bike® 2012, PPS will be publishing interviews with thought leaders and game changers in transportation, health, planning, and governing. The first interview with community health expert Kate Kraft is up and there are more to come: http://bit.ly/MnxrpJ"

"Contribute to APBP's Gihon Jordan Scholarship Fund, which is dedicated to bringing APBP members to Pro Walk/Pro Bike® in Long Beach. Learn more about the Fund and its namesake: http://bit.ly/M4Usiw"

"Tall bike tour. Have you ever thought of doing a tall bike tour, but lacked a tall bike, the spare time, and/or a place to go on your imaginary tour? If so, you can live vicariously through Bobby, who is riding his tall bike from Vancouver back to his home in Los Angeles bit.ly/MKM7f6"

A REFLECTION ON NEVERENDING TRANSPORTATION GRIDLOCK

-> According to a June 19th DC.Streets Blog entry, "For the past six months, I have had the enviable task (seriously) of tracing the path of federal transportation legislation through Congress. And look how far we've come! When I first took the editor's chair in January, transportation funds were drying up, the deadline for a new bill was fast approaching, and none of the news made Congress look good. Today, essentially, nothing has changed, except everything is somehow even worse. The latest update is that with only 11 calendar days and six legislative days in which to get a bill to the President, the 47 House and Senate negotiators seem as far as ever from reaching a deal."

"If they can't, then transportation policy will expire, the gas tax will stop being collected, the Highway Trust Fund will run out of money...Stop me if you've heard this one before. In the past, deadlocked conferees could simply get their bosses to work out a deal, as they will try to do today, but even that seems unlikely according to The Hill: 'I think the bill's dead,' a transportation industry source said to The Hill on Friday. 'I don't think they can fix what they have in front of them. Kicking it up to the leadership probably gives it a chance...but every time they get to the five-yard line, they move the goal posts back."

"In fact, some reports have already emerged that this afternoon's negotiations aren't about producing a bill but about determining the length of the next extension. As Todd Zwillich at Transportation Nation reports: 'Zero,' said Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-OH), when asked about the chances of last-ditch conference negotiations yielding an agreement before next week. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is set to meet with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) at 4 PM today. Chief negotiators Sen Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) are also scheduled to be in on the meeting. 'The purpose is to come up with a clean extension' of six months, LaTourette said in an interview..."

-> According to a May 29th Bikes Belong announcement, "Bikes Belong Foundation will launch its Green Lane Project, a new project to bring protected bikeways to six U.S. cities, at a kickoff in Chicago on May 31. The initiative (greenlaneproject.org) will work with Austin, Chicago, Memphis, Portland, OR, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., to support the cities' development of world-class bicycling facility networks over the next two years. Top transportation officials from each city, along with Federal Highway Administration leader Victor Mendez, will introduce the program and announce initial plans at the kickoff event."

"'We are seeing an explosion of interest in making bicycling stress-free on busy city streets,' said Martha Roskowski, Green Lane Project Director for Bikes Belong. 'The selected cities have ambitious goals and a vision for bicycling supported by their elected officials and communities. They are poised to get projects on the ground quickly and will serve as excellent examples for other interested cities.'"

"Green lanes are dedicated, inviting spaces for people on bikes in the roadway, protected by curbs, planters, posts or parked cars. The goal of the Green Lane Project is to support the selected cities in their efforts to develop and install these kinds of facilities. Recent studies have demonstrated their benefits nationwide. In Washington, D.C., bicycle volume tripled after protected lanes were installed. In Portland, OR, more than 70 percent of survey respondents said bicycling is easier and safer with these dedicated lanes, while motorists said the facilities did not make driving any slower or less convenient..."

-> According to a June 13th League of American Bicyclists news release, "When Heather Towers started commuting by bike last year, she just hoped to save a few dollars in transportation costs. But, with the help of the National Bike Challenge, the Maryland resident discovered so much more: better health, new friends and increased connection to her community. 'I've experienced better cardiovascular health, energy, and overall strength,' Towers says. "For someone who used to get the majority of my fitness in a gym, cycling is so much more fun! It's liberating and exciting -- every day brings a new adventure on my bike."

"Towers is just one of more than 26,000 riders who logged nearly 4 million miles during the first month of the National Bike Challenge, which kicked off on May 1. The friendly, online competition (sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists, Bikes Belong, Endomondo and Kimberly-Clark Corporation) is a new, nationwide initiative to inspire and empower millions of Americans to ride their bikes for transportation, recreation and better health. So far, participants have burned more than 100 million calories - and they're not nearly done yet. The goal: Unite 50,000 Americans to ride 10 million miles by August 31, 2012."

"'We've been inspired by the astounding number of participants and their remarkable enthusiasm in the first month,' says Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. "With nearly three months left, we're calling on all Americans -- from New York City to Miami, from Denver to Los Angeles -- to join the fun. We want to see 50,000 riders in the Challenge, each with a story like Heather's!..."

-> On June 11th, Erin O'Melinn of the Vancouver (BC) BikeHub wrote "'Velo-Talk' will be an interactive advocacy workshop, a satellite event of Velo-City International Bike Conference. It will be open to everyone and targeted at bicycle advocates from around the world to come together to talk specifically about moving bicycling into the mainstream and increasing the number of people cycling for transportation. It provides a gathering space for advocates to share successes, challenges, and network to continue supporting each other after the conference. The keynote speaker, exciting Pecha Kucha stories from around the world, and the small working sessions will send you home with more energy, information and resources to move cycling forward. See the agenda and register here (http://bit.ly/Na7Xg8). Limited space."

"An optional free morning ride is also organized, with discounted rental bikes available (http://bit.ly/KO0qAF). We have arranged discounted hotel stays at bike-friendly Accent Inns (http://bit.ly/MnpAVc) for those referred by HUB. If homestays are preferred, we are also happy to arrange for you to stay with local advocates and supporters to make your stay more accessible (and fun!) Please email us at: <velo-talk@vacc.bc.ca>..."

-> In a June 13th Panethos article, Rick Brown wrote, "Just yesterday, I was introduced to a fun and cool bicycling app that maps your route and provides you real-time data…The free app is called MapMyRIDE+ and is one of a several similar programs created by MapMyFITNESS, Inc..."

-> According to a June 12th CBC News story, "Bylaw services will be stepping up enforcement on city pathways beginning this week. After several accidents on city paths over the weekend, Bill Bruce, the head of Calgary Bylaw Services, said he received numerous emails about pathway safety. That prompted his department to increase patrols beginning this week, he said."

"Peace officers will be out enforcing the rules on pathways in the city, using radar to catch bike riders exceeding the speed limit of 20 kilometres per hour. 'I think the key thing is it's a shared pathway system. It's not exclusively for anyone's use, so we have to share it,' Bruce said. 'Yielding to pedestrians is critical, pass on the left, signal you're passing -- all those rules.'..."(http://bit.ly/NwlGiq)

-> According to a May 10th Bismarck Tribune article, "The city of Bismarck officially introduced its Share the Road bicycle route and pilot project on Thursday during a brief news conference at the City/County Building. Signs have been placed and painting the bicycle lanes and Share the Road routes should be done by the end of the month. Route information, guidelines, rules and information about how bikers can commute for the pilot project can be found by visiting bismarck.org/sharetheroad."

"'Safety is our top priority as all of us use our roadways. All users of our city streets must be more aware,' said Bismarck City Commissioner Mike Seminary, who has long favored the project. Ben Ehreth, planner for the Bismarck Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization, said the project includes 10 miles of on-street bicycle lanes, signs and pavement markings... He said there are four miles of off-street bicycle lanes and six miles of shared road signage… the network is intended to complement the 70 to 80 miles of multi-use trails throughout Bismarck and Mandan."

-> According to the June 14th edition of Walk 'n Roll News, "Those are some of the numbers for the Vermont Bike Challenge as of June 12. Vermont leads the nation in the National Bike Challenge, and the miles keep adding up. Vermonters sure love to bike! But the numbers only barely begin to tell the story of the Vermont Bike Challenge and the impact it is having. Over and over again, we are hearing stories of people who went from biking hardly at all to biking all the time because of the Challenge. Here's one example: 'I hope this devotion to biking continues to flourish after May is over. Ten miles to work and back today, despite the sogginess. I'm getting more savvy about keeping my work clothes sog-free. Should I invest in a waterproof backpack?' Bottom line: a whole lot of people are realizing that being on a bike is pure joy."

-> According to a June 15th Hometown News article, "The Florida Bicycle Association has come to town and opened its first brick-and-mortar office at 336 N. Woodland Blvd., a space shared with the DeLand Area Chamber of Commerce. 'We're like the American Automobile Association for bicycling,' Tim Bustos, Executive Director, said. 'We try to make the roads safer for everyone, which in turn makes bicycling safer.'"

-> According to a June 18th news release, "Capital Bikeshare members save an average of $891 per year and collectively reduce their driving miles by 5 million per year. These are just some of the findings from an extensive report (http://bit.ly/NL13PG) released today regarding the annual survey of members of the regional bikesharing program. The report contains detailed insight into how people are using Capital Bikeshare to get around in the District and Arlington, the impact of the program and the satisfaction of users."

"The survey was administered in November and December of 2011 and received more than 5,000 responses. As the largest bikesharing program in the nation, and one of the few to be in operation for longer than one year, this represents a wealth of useful information to anyone interested in urban transportation. The survey analysis and report were performed by Lori Diggins of LDA Consulting."

"Highlights: 83% of respondents said they were more likely to patronize a business that was CaBi-accessible; 82% of respondents reported increased bike use since joining Capital Bikeshare and 70% said CaBi was an important reason; …CaBi was major/main factor for 56% who reduced car use...The full survey report and executive summary are here (http://bit.ly/Lhpm6v), and more information and data can be found at the Capital Bikeshare website (http://bit.ly/NL13PG)..."

-> According to a June 15th Missoulian article, "All that remains on the to-do list is an unfinished curb along the west side of U.S. Highway 93 and several sections of unfinished sidewalks on a side street. This summer, construction crews will finish the last phase of Lolo's sidewalk improvement project, which was funded by a $229,000 grant from the Montana Department of Transportation to provide safe walking routes for school children. Enrollment in the Lolo School District has grown significantly in the past decade, swelling from 560 to 640 students in nine years, said Lolo Superintendent Mike Magone."

-> According to a June 12th Oak Bay News article, "There may be money in a decision to plan the use of Oak Bay's roadways. Oak Bay's new complete streets policy will be discussed as a part of the Active Transportation Advisory Committee report at the municipality's June 18 Committee of the Whole meeting. Complete streets is a term used to describe streets that function for people of all ages and abilities. The complete streets policy will set the municipal vision for road, sidewalk and trail priorities and maintenance. 'This effort from the municipality shows support for cycling and cycling infrastructure,' said Coun. Michelle Kirby."

"Currently Oak Bay is the only Greater Victoria municipality without a complete streets policy, which puts it at a disadvantage when competing for provincial and federal funding. With a policy, the municipality will be in a better position to access the estimated $53 million in government funding for Oak Bay High, the performing arts theatre, the Neighbourhood Learning Centre and the Bowker Creek Restoration projects. 'This (discussion will give) us the opportunity to learn more (and the policy) will open us up to external funding opportunities,' said Kirby..."

-> According to the June 2012 APHA Transportation and Public Health e-Newsletter, "A new report, 'Equity in Transportation for People with Disabilities,' (http://bit.ly/LzWhEG, 311KB pdf) from The American Association of People with Disabilities and The Leadership Conference Education Fund found several problems for people with disabilities living in both urban and rural areas when it comes to basic transportation. While the Americans with Disabilities Act requires public transportation systems to be accessible, many transportation systems remain inaccessible. As a result, roughly 31 percent of people with disabilities report having insufficient transportation compared to 13 percent of the general population. According to Lexer Quamie, counsel at The Leadership Conference Education Fund, 'inadequate funding and enforcement of federal transportation mandates are major barriers to improved health outcomes and increased physical activity among people with disabilities. Countless people with disabilities can't attend medical appointments or receive adequate health care, and they often experience health disparities because of the barriers they confront when trying to improve their health.' The report provides various recommendations around funding, programs, enforcement, and more."

-> According to a June 12th International Agency for Research on Cancer statement, "After a week-long meeting of international experts, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO), today classified diesel engine exhaust as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), based on sufficient evidence that exposure is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer..."

"The scientific evidence was reviewed thoroughly by the Working Group and overall it was concluded that there was sufficient evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of diesel exhaust. The Working Group found that diesel exhaust is a cause of lung cancer (sufficient evidence) and also noted a positive association (limited evidence) with an increased risk of bladder cancer (Group 1). The Working Group concluded that gasoline exhaust was possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B), a finding unchanged from the previous evaluation in 1989. Large populations are exposed to diesel exhaust in everyday life, whether through their occupation or through the ambient air. People are exposed not only to motor vehicle exhausts but also to exhausts from other diesel engines, including from other modes of transport (e.g. diesel trains and ships) and from power generators..."

-> According to a June 12th announcement, "As the nation's most common cause of disability, arthritis affects 50 million adults in the United States -- more than 20% of the adult population. And this number is expected to grow as the population of older Americans and number of obese Americans continues to increase. Arthritis is a serious and painful joint disease that often causes weakness and places severe limits on daily activities from opening a jar to holding a job. Physical activity, including biking and walking, is a vital intervention for arthritis that helps decrease pain; delay the start of disability; improve muscle strength, mobility, mood and independence; and enhance quality of life."

"High rates of arthritis among people with other chronic diseases -- such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity -- for which physical activity is important, increases the value of physical activity as a tool for managing arthritis. Yet, adults with arthritis are less likely to be physically activity than are those without arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)."

"In order to dramatically reduce the impact of arthritis, the Arthritis Foundation recently released a report, 'Environmental and Policy Strategies to Increase Physical Activity Among Adults With Arthritis' (bit.ly/MjzF7B) that focuses on changes that could be made within 6 important sectors, including the park, recreation, fitness and sport sector, to make physical activity feasible for individuals with arthritis."

STUDY: HUMANS ARE 17 MILLION TONS OVERWEIGHT, U.S. HEAVIEST OF ALL

-> According to a June 17th Live-Science article, "Humanity is 17 million tons (15 million metric tons) overweight, according to a study that calculates the adult portion of the human race's collective weight at 316 million tons (287 million metric tons). That's the equivalent of about 170 military aircraft carriers of extra weight. Or in people weight, it's like having an extra 242 million people of average body mass on the planet. This is more than just an attempt to make the human race feel uncomfortable about its waistline; looking at the collective mass of humanity can improve understanding of the effects of population growth, contends a team of European researchers..."

"'Although the largest increase in population numbers is expected in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, our results suggest that population increases in the USA will carry more weight than would be implied by numbers alone,' they write. The United States ranked at the top of the 'Heaviest 10' category, while the 'Lightest 10' list is composed entirely of African and Asian nations. For example, North America has 6 percent of the world population but 34 percent of biomass due to obesity. Meanwhile, Asia has 61 percent of the world population but just 13 percent of biomass due to obesity. [List of heaviest and lightest nations]..."

-> According to a June 15th NHS Choices (UK) article, "Assessing children's weight using body mass index may mean that the obesity epidemic is being underestimated, said The Daily Telegraph. Body mass index, or BMI, looks at how appropriate a person's weight is for their height. However, according to the Telegraph, it doesn't take into account where children carry extra weight, and may therefore fail to detect cases where children are carrying too much body fat. The news is based on a UK study that looked at trends in child obesity using three different measures: BMI, waist circumference (WC), or waist-to-height ratio (WtHR). The researchers compared how the three measures estimated obesity rates among nearly 15,000 children aged 11-12 years over three years to see how well they matched each other."

"Using BMI, they found little change in the prevalence of obesity over the three years, which affected around 19-20% of boys and 16-18% of girls. When they used WC to define obesity, they found that the prevalence was strikingly higher, particularly in girls: 20-26% in boys and 28-36% in girls across the three years. WtHR produced a similar pattern. The study demonstrates varying child obesity levels when different measures are used to define obesity. However, it is not possible to conclude from this study which is the best measure of obesity to use in children, as the study did not relate these different measurements to the chance of experiencing ill health. However, as the researchers say, it highlights the need for research that assesses this question, to allow a consistent public health message on how weight, height and waist circumference relate to health in children..."

-> "Despite Federal gridlock on the surface transportation act, at the state and local level Americans continue to show terrific support for transit. Recent votes in Louisiana and Wisconsin prove again that Americans believe transit is critical for a healthy environment, a strong economy, and fairness to the working poor, seniors, students and the disabled."-- Greg LeRoy, Executive Director, Good Jobs First

-> No one knows why they do it. Yet each fall, thousands of starlings dance in the twilight above England and Scotland. The birds gather in shape-shifting flocks called murmurations, having migrated in the millions from Russia and Scandinavia to escape winter's frigid bite. Scientists aren't sure how they do it, either.

The starlings' murmurations are manifestations of swarm intelligence, which in different contexts is practiced by schools of fish, swarms of bees and colonies of ants. As far as I am aware, even complex algorithmic models haven't yet explained the starlings' aerobatics, which rely on the tiny birds' quicksilver reaction time of under 100 milliseconds to avoid aerial collisions and predators in the giant flock.

Two young women were out for a late afternoon canoe ride and fortunately one of them remembered to bring her video camera. What they saw was a wonderful murmuration display, caught in the short video: http://vimeo.com/31158841.

> Introduction: "The City of Fargo (ND) provides more than 33-miles of on-street shared and designated bicycle lanes making biking to your destination safer and easier than ever. Before you get on the road, be sure to learn about bike lanes and road markings. Understanding and following the rules of the road will allow all drivers, on bike or in a car, share the road safely..."

Additional training opportunities are available on the National Center for Bicycling & Walking web site. Add your own items to the on-line calendar...it's quick and easy. Please be sure your calendar items pertain to training and workshops in the bicycle, pedestrian, or livable community fields. Go to:http://www.bikewalk.org/calendar.php

Smart Growth America seeks a motivated self-starter to coordinate member involvement and activities for the National Complete Streets Coalition as a full-time Policy Associate. The position includes significant administrative duties, but will also contribute to research and policy-related projects that advance the Coalition's objectives. This is an excellent opportunity for a "people person" to help grow a national movement for safe, vibrant community streets.

Among responsibilities: Manage Coalition membership; donations; and other outreach to current and potential Coalition members; High-level knowledge of Microsoft Excel and excellent oral and written communication skills are required. Knowledge of Salesforce is not required, but a definite plus. The position reports to the Director of the National Complete Streets Program. The Deputy Director will provide day-to-day supervision.

How to Apply: send cover letter, resume, three references & two short writing samples (no more than five pages) to <jobs@smartgrowthamerica.org>. Please include "Complete Streets Policy Associate" in the email subject line. Applications are open immediately and will be accepted on a rolling basis.